Can We Save the Middle Class? - AI Impact on Middle-Class Economics and Growth Strategies

Explore the critical challenges facing the global middle class in this 49-minute panel discussion from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026. Examine how middle-class growth, which had been expanding by approximately 54 million people annually since 2011, experienced a significant slowdown during the 2020 pandemic, while job security concerns continue to mount. Analyze the potential impact of artificial intelligence on middle-class economics and discover which economies are successfully implementing growth strategies that prioritize middle-out economic development. Learn from expert speakers Andy Beshear, Stacey Vanek Smith, Salil S. Parekh, Christy Hoffman, and Oren Cas as they discuss policy solutions, economic trends, and innovative approaches to strengthening middle-class prosperity in an era of technological disruption and global economic uncertainty.